This just in from Chris Rudolph at Stevens Pass:

After an action packed 5 days of winter weather, highway access and electrical power has been restored to Stevens Pass Winter Resort. Stevens Pass plans to operate all front side lifts tomorrow including Brooks, SkyLine, Hogsback, Daisy, Tye Mill, Big Chief, and 7th Heaven. Jupiter, Double Diamond, and Southern Cross chairlifts will remain closed due to potential avalanche hazard. At this time, Stevens Pass employees are busy digging out from an incredible 88 inches of snowfall in the past 7 days, with 64 inches falling within a 4 day period.

The road to Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park is still closed.

Park road crews are working today to remove large quantities of snow that slid in several avalanche-prone areas over the weekend. There is no estimate at this time of when the road might be re-opened.

“It's a slow process using snow blowers, followed by caterpillars and snowplows,” said park spokeswoman Donna Rahier.

“We should have a better assessment later today.”

The road has been closed since Tuesday because of the large amount of snow falling each day and the threat of avalanches.

To check road and weather information at the park, call 360-569-2211 and then select 1.

Mount Rainier National Park
Huge snow mounds line the road leading to the former gas station at Longmire at Mount Rainier National Park. The photo was taken late last week.

We ran a feature on John Kircher today.

Kircher is the most influential man in Washington’s ski industry as he runs the state’s first (Summit at Snoqualmie) and third (Crystal Mountain) most visited ski areas. He’s also hosting a World Cup this weekend at his B.C. ski area, Cypress. Cypress will host freestyle events at the Olympics two years from this weekend.

Kircher, 49, is also in need of a liver transplant. Read more Friday.

Until then, here are some thoughts on Kircher from the legendary Warren Miller.

On Kircher’s background:
“He pretty much grew up in the base lodge at Boyne Mountain and learned the industry from his dad. He has done a marvelous job at Crystal and Big Sky. He is a bright guy and a scratch golfer.”

On Kircher’s down-to-earth style:
“A lot of other people might play the socialite roll. He could. But he knows those people fade as fast as they rise. John is from a different mold.”

“I remember one time we were having lunch and he said he decided to build a new lodge at one of the resorts. I said you’re just going to make a $2-4 million decision over a hamburger. He said, ‘I think it will work.’
“He says it like it is. He’s not a Harvard business school guy, he just knows what skiers want and he gives it to them.”